Connect, Collaborate and Share Insights
Date and Time: January 22, 2026, 7 pm GMT
Join the conversation for an online webinar in which invited participants will share their (preliminary)
thoughts on “Froebel and Democracy” through an informal 15-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A.
Today, democracy is in crisis. The long-held assumption that liberalization and democratization will never be reversed and that these achievements can only become more consolidated and expanded due to the self-reinforcing
and self-stabilizing effects of democracy is no longer convincing. The narrative of democracy’s undisputed normative superiority is more than questionable. Around the globe, one can witness widespread skepticism toward democracy, its functionality and legitimacy, and experience democracy’s dissolution. Democracies around the world have been in decline for over a decade, even those that were previously considered stable. We find ourselves today in a situation that can only be seen as a decline of and an essential threat to democracy. Without a doubt, the dissolution of democracy is one of the major crises we face today.
The questions we raise include,
- What role does early childhood education, and more specifically, Frobel’s educational thinking, play in strengthening democracy and a positive attitude toward democracy?
- Does Froebelian thinking have anything to say about that?
- Which Froebelian principles and key ideas are useful for thinking about the issue of democracy?
While we understand that it is unrealistic to expect Froebelian thinking to solve such essential problems, we believe it would be equally irresponsible not to consider these topics. Hence, we invite necessary and fruitful conversations about democracy in early childhood.
Thereby, we invite practitioners and scholars to submit a 250-word proposal by December 15, 2025
(or earlier) for a webinar on “Froebel and Democracy”.
If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Amanda Norman and Helge Wasmuth to discuss your idea. Find attached the CfP:
